Printing machine



A ril 22,1947.

A. ,1. HORTON ETAL rzuumm IACHINE Filed Aug. 9, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTORS J Alb-qr: JJflmtna-ad- Wit-Edam.

ATT NEY 'Ap 22, 1947 A J. HORTON ETAL 2,419,403

ram'rim cams Filed Aug. 9, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATT NEY- A155] 22,1947- I A. J. HORTON E'TAL 2,419,403

PRINTING IACHINE 7 Filed Aug. 9, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 "A NEY PatentedApr. 22, 1947 PRINTING MACHINE Albert J. Horton, White Plains, N. Y.,and William K. Eckhard, Newark, N. 1., & 00., Inc., New York, N .;Y.,

New York assignors to R. Hoe a corporation of Application August 9,1941, Serial No. 408,110

, 4 l This invention relates to printing machines of the planographictype in which the printing cylinders are tripped or separated if a sheetto be printed is not presented properly or at the proper time, and isespecially adapted for use in multicolor printing machines of the oflsettype in which sheets are carried successively through several printingunits to be printed in, several colors, and it is desirable toautomatically trip the cylinders of the severalunits successively in theorder of their operation on sheets presented to them.

- A printing machine 01'. the class mentioned is disclosed in Patent No.2,231,914, granted I'ebruary 18, 1941- As shown in that patent, a sheetdetecting device is provided to detect the absence or out of registerpositioning of .a sheet presented to a machine and to remove ittherefrom. The detecting device also constitutes means for automaticallyactuating the tripping mechanism of the several units of the printingmachine. Certain improvement-s in machines of this class are shown inPatent No. 2,335,010, in which tripping control mechanism havingfeatures of the present invention is shown, but not claimed.

One object of this invention is to provide in a printing machine inwhich the printing cylinders are tripped, an improved form of trippingcontrol mechanism, whereby the printing cylinders will ,be tripped oilwhenever a sheet is improp-- erly presented, or is not presented at theproper time.

Another object is to provide a tripping control 1 Claim. (01. 101-437)durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient,practical, serviceable and etlicient in use.

-With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the present invention resides in the combinationsand arrangements of parts, and'in the details of constructionhereinafter described and claimed.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings,

wherein: v

Figure 1 is a side view, somewhat diagrammatic in form, of aportion of amulticolor sheet printing machine embodying the features and principlesoi the invention;

Figure 2 is a composite side view of parts of a sheet registering deviceand of the tripping control mechanism of this invention, parts beingmechanism for a multi-unit printing machine having means to carry sheetsfrom one unit to another, and means at each unit to trip the printingcylinders thereof, whereby the tripping mechanism of the respectiveunits will be actuated in sequence whenever a sheet is absent, or is notpresented in register.

Still another object is to provide a control,

mechanism for the tripping device of a printing machine of the classmentioned, and which is adapted to be set by the part of a sheetregistering mechanism by which the absence or misplacement of a sheet isdetected, whereby the tripping device will automatically act to movecooperating printing components of the printing machine away from eachother whenever a sheet is absent oris presented out oi register, andwill subsequently act to move the said components together when normalconditions are restored;

It is also an object of this invention to provide a tripping controlmechanism of generally im- ;pro,ved construction, that is relativelysimple, 66 Although the sheet: receiving.

broken awayto show certain cooperating parts and their connections; s

s Figure 3 is a, fragmentary view showing parts included in a mechanismfor tripping the plate cylinder of a unit of the printing machine, whichthe control mechanism of this invention is adapted to control; P

Figure 4 is a, fragmentary view showing mechanismfor tripping theimpression cylinder of the machine;

' Fi'gure 5 is a fragmentary view showing mech anism to trip the inkrollers from the plate cylinder and includes means for manually trippingthese ink rollers;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5 to showthe means to disconnect the ink roller tripping means from theautomatically operable means for trippingi the plate cylinder; w i

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sid view broken away and looking in thedirection of arrow I in Figure 4; and 1 Figure 8 is a diagrammatic viewof a modified form of tripping control mechanism.

The printing machine selected'toillustrate th features and principles ofthis invention (see Figure 1) includes a sheet receiving, registering.and detecting unit it irom which sheets to be printed are carried bysuitable sheet conveying mechanism having gripper bars l2 (Figure-2)seregistering and detecting unit II. is herein shown as a separate unit.it is to be understood that the essential parts which are operablyassociated with the control mechanism of this invention, may beassociated with the impression cylinder of the first printing.

der 88 mounted in fixed bearings. Suitable pairs of ink rollers l9 and Mare arranged about the plate cylinder i9 and ar supplied with ink froman ink fountain 22 by means of a ductor roller 23, reciprocating inkcylinders 23, 25, 2S and 2t, and intermediate ink transfer rollers 28,29 and 35. A suitable pair of moistening rollers 32 and 33 with amoistening fluid fountain 3d and ductor roller 35, and a moisturedistributing cylinder 36 are also provided for the plate cylinder It.

The ink cylinders 25 and 2? are mounted to be axially reciprocated infixed bearings 37, preferably by mechanism indicated at 38 (Figure 1)and fully disclosed in Patent No. 2,300,549. The ink rollers l9 and 2tare arranged to be tripped "away from and toward the form or platecylinder 56 by means shown in Figure" 5, that includes mechanism shownin the last mentioned application. This mechanism is arranged to beactuated automatically, and includes bearings 39 and 9 for therespective ink rollers, which are mounted in arms ti and 52 rotatablysupported to swing about th axis of the ink cylinders 25 and 2? to movethe ink rollers i9 and 2| away from the plate cylinder 1 G, oroppositely toward it.

The arms ti and 62 are connected by links :33 and 64 respectively, toadjustable arms 45 and d6 mounted on and carried by a plate 41. Theplate (i1 is journaled on an eccentric ring 48 which is, in turn,journaled on an eccentric bearing sleeve 39 supporting a bearing for theshaft end of the plate cylinder l6. Rotation of the eccentric ring 98upon the sleeve 99 will, due to its eccentricity, mov th plate upwardlywith respect to the axis of the plate cylinder i6 and through the arms65 and t6, and links 43 and d4, swing the bearing supporting arms 4i and2 to carry the ink rollers l 9 and it away from the plate cylinder it.This action is accomplished by the cylinder tripping means to behereinafter described.

The rollers i9 and '23 may be moved toward the plate cylinder 36, whileit is tripped "off or away from the blanket cylinder i 8, by manualmanipulation of an operating bar 52 (Figures 5 and 6), to engage theserollers with a printing plate on the cylinder it, to ink it prior toprinting. The bar'52 is arranged to fit into a socket formed in a lever53 secured upon a sleeve 59 that is rotatably mounted on a trip shaft 53 for the impres- -sion cylinder H. The trip shaft 541 is joumaledin andextends between machine side frames 55, and the sleeve 50 extendsbetween hubs 59 at each side of the machine. The lever 53 is arranged tobe operably connected to anddisconnected from the shaft 54 by a pin 57carried in the lever 53 and adapted to slide into and out of an arm 58on a hub 59 keyed to the shaft 56. An arm 6! of the lever 53 isconnected by a link 62 to the eccentric ring 48, whereby swingingmovementof the lever 53 by the bar 52 will move the plate 41 to move theink rollers i9 and 2| toward and-away from the cylinder it. The plate 91is held against rotative movement by a link 83 connected thereto and tothe machine frame 55. The plate 41 andthe portion of the lever 53 thatreceives the bar 92,

is duplicated at the opposite side of the machine.

The tripping mechanism shown is automatically operated, while themachine is running, to trip off whenever no sheet is being carriedforward from the registering unit II to the printing units i4, i5, bythe conveyor chains It. Tripping is effected by a cam 84, continuouslyrotating with the blanket cylinder i8, by being mounted on and connectedto its shaft end 95 adjacent the side frame (Figures; 3 and 4). Camengaging rollers 66 and t1 ride on the cam t4 and are carried byrockable levers 69 and 69 respectively. The levers -68 and 69 arerockably mounted on stud shafts H and i2 respectively, which extend outfrom the side frame 55. The peripheral spacing of the cam rollers t6 and6? about the cam 64 is proportioned so as to trip the impressioncylinder 6? and the plate cylinder it in proper sequence and in suchtimed relation that no tripping will occur while a sheet is beingprinted.

The swinging lever 68 (Figure 4) reciprocates a trip bar i3, which ispivoted at it to the lever 65 and extends toward and beyond the tripshaft 55. A similar trip bar 75 (Figure 3) is pivoted at 76 to the lever69 and extends toward and beyond a trip shaft H for the plate cylinderit. The trip bar 19 (Figure 4) is provided with spaced apart shoulders78 and 19 adapted to engage respectively, spaced apart pins 8| and 82,which are secured to a plate 83 formed on or secured to the end of thetrip shaft 54. The bar ?3 slides between the pins BI and 82 by theaction of the cam 64 through the cam roller 86 and the lever 68. Whenthe bar 13 is in normal, or down position (Figure 4), the shoulder '18will engage the pin 8| to swing the plate 93 to rock the shaft 54 in thedirection to trip on the impression cylinder I7, and it will benecessary to raise the bar 13 to cause the shoulder 19 to engage the pin82 to rock the shaft 54 in the opposite direction to trip it ofl. Aspring 85 reacting between a stud 86 and the lever 68 I maintains thecam roller 86 against the cam 6d.

The swinging lever 69 (Figure 3) reciprocates the trip bar 15 due to theaction of the cam 96 upon the roller 67, which is maintained against Isaid cam lit by a spring 81, reacting between a stud 88 and the lever59. The bar 15 is provided, with spaced apart shoulders 89 and 9Kadapted to engage respectively, spaced apart pins 99 and 93, which aresecured to a plate formed on or secured to the end of the trip shaft Wand between which the bar 15 slides when reciprocated by the cam 64.When the bar '55 is in normal, or down position (Figure 3), the shoulder89 will engage the pin 92 to rock the shaft ii in the direction to tripon the plate cylinder l6, and it will be necessary to raise the bar 75tocause the shoulder 9| to engage the pin 93 to rock the shaft 71 in theopposite direction to trip it off. Springs 96 and 91 act against studs98 and 99 respectively to maintain pressure on arms iilfl formed on eachof the plates 93 and 95 (Figures 3 and 4) to maintain the plates 83 and95, and through them, the shafts 54 and E1 in their rocked positionuntil the respective bars 19 and 15 act thereon to change such position.

Rocking movement ofthe plate 83 (Figure 4), and by it of the trip shaft54 (Figure 6), rocks 1 auaaos the hub The hub 33 is connected through alink I3I, attached to an arm I32 oi the hub 33, toa link I33, which isconnected to a lug- -I34 on.a.ring I43. Thering III is secured as Q ,bya sc'rewto an eccentric bearing sleeve I33 which supports a bearing inwhich the shaft endmove the parts oppositely and trip thescylinder' on."The plate 33 (Figure 3) is rocked by the bar 13 through a link I33connected to an arm I33 on:a sleeve (not shown), but keyed to the shaft11, and connected to a link I secured to a lug II3 on a ring II4 whichis connected, as by a screw to the eccentric bearing sleeve 43. Thus,when the plate 35 is rocked in one direction, the eccentric bearing forthe plate cylinder I3 is rotated to trip it "of!" or away from theblanket cylinder I3, and when the plate 35 is rocked in the oppositedirection the plate cylinder I3 will be tripped on. Rocking movement ofthe hub 53 when it is connected by the pin 51 to the lever 53, as abovedescribed, will alsomove the plate 41 (Figure 5) to cause the inkrollers I3 and 2.I to be tripped either oil, and away from the platecylinder I3, when rocked in one direction, or on when rocked in theopposite direction.

The trip bar 13 (Figure 4) is raised into trip "of!" position by a leverII5 mounted on a stud shalt II3. An arm II1 of the lever H5 isconnected'to a link II 3 by a pin II3 which rides in this lever isresiliently connected by a spring rod I33 to the bar 15, which is thusurged upwardly to engage the pin a: and rock the trip shaft 11 when thearm I33 is raised, thereby tripping the plate cylinder I3 asabovedescribed.

Provision-is'included whereby either the plate a cylinder I3 or theimpression cylinder I1 may be an elongated slot I2I provided in one endof the I link H3. The other end of the link H3 is connected to the bar13. A spring I 22 reacting between a stud I23 and a short arm I24 alsoor the lever II 5, tends to rock this lever to raise the bar 13, but isprevented from doing so, by a.catch arm I25 that is normally engaged bya spring catch I23. When the catch I23 is moved out of lever against theurge or the spring I22. when the cam I21 is rotated to present its lowland portion I32 to the roller I25, the lever H5 is rocked by the springI22, provided the catch arm I25 is released from the catch I23, and thearm 13 is raised into tripping positio whereby the impression cylinderI1 will be tripped as above described when the cam 34 reciprocates thebar Raising movement of the trip bar 15 also is under the control of thecatch I23, the catch arm I25, and the cam I21 indirectly through theplate 33. The arrangement is such that after the bar 13 has been raisedby the spring I22, and the cam 34 has reciprocated this bar to rock theplate 33to trip the impression cylinder I1, the bar 15 is raised intotripping position. This action takes place when the plate 83 is rockedby means 01' an arm I34 (Figure 3), secured to or formed as a part ofthe plate 33'. The arm I34 is connected by a link I35 to an arm I33 01!a lever pivoted upon a stud shaft I31. The other arm I33 0! lution ofthe printing cylinders to trip on even manually trippedeither "on" oron. The plate cylinder I3 may be manually tripped by rocking the plate35 and through it the trip shaft 11 by applying a wrench (not shown) tothe outer end 01a stud "I (Figure 1) connected to the pins 32 and 33 onthe plate 35 (Figure 3). Likewise, the trip shaft 54 may berpcked tomanually trip the impression cylinder I1, by the application of a wrench(not shown) to the outer end of a stud I42, that is connected to thepins 3| and 32 on the plate 33.-

Means to individually set and lock the trip bars 13 and 15 in raisedtrip oil" or lowered trip oi! positions, for making the machine readyfor printing, or in trip on" position for the purpose ot silencing aunit, is also included (Figure 4). The means for so setting the trip bar13 includes a post I43 mounted thereon and adapted to be acted upon byeither of opposing, springs I44 and I43 carried on a rod I43 connectedto an arm I43 that i secured to a shaft I41, The arm I43 is arranged tobe swung in either direction by an operating handle I43 (Figure l)secured to the outer end of the shaft I41. A spring pin (not shown, butlocated in the hand gripping end of the handle I43) normally holds thehandle in the center position as shown, but is adapted to snap intoholes HI and I52 in a plate I53. Movement of the handle to engage thepin in hole I52 results in raising the trip bar 13 and lo'cking themounted on the end of the bar 15 by arod I53 and opposing springs I53and I51. The arm I54 is secured to a shaft I59 which has an operatinghandle I3I (Figure 1) secured upon its outer end. As in the case of thehandle I43, 3, spring pressed pin (not shown) is provided in the handgripping end of the handle I3I and normally holds the handle in thecenter position as shown, but is adapted to drop into holes I32 and I33provided in a plate I34. Movement of the handle to engage the pin in thehole I33 results in raising the trip bar 15 and locking the trippingmecha- 1 nism for the plate cylinder and inking mechanism in the trip"0d" position, while movement-of the handle to the hole I32 locks themechanism in trip on position.

Inasmuch as the tripping bars 13 and 15 (Figures' 4 and 3) re normallyheld in their trip on" position by gravity, they are moved at everyrevothough the machine has not been tripped ofl. Hence', the trip onrelation of the cylinders and rollers is normally maintained. When aproperly registered sheet is not presented, a detector mechanismhereinaiter described is actuated and the tripping-bass of each unit areraised in succession to trip off each'of the several units successivelyand it remains so during the period when that unit should have beenprinting a sheet,

they have been tripped "off" by operation of the sheet detector or byone of the manual controls previously described.

Provision is also included to adjust the distance between thecooperating plate and blanket cylin= ders to suit the blankets andpacking used and between the axes of the impression and blanketcylinders to permit printing sheets of various thickness. The means forso adjusting the distance between the plate cylinder l6 and the blanketcylinder l8 includes an arm I55 (Figure 3) secured to a shaft I65 havingan operating handle it? (Figure 1) secured to its outer end. The arm E55(Figure 3) is connected by an adjustable rod 668 to the end of the linkIE2. Swinging of the arm I65 in one direction by the handle I61 will,through the rod H68, and the link H2, rock the ring lid to move theplate cylinder l6 closer to the blanket cylinder l8 throughthe medium of1 the eccentric bearing sleeve d9 of the plate cylinact upon the handleIE? to retain it in adjusted position.

The means for adjusting the impression cylinder 1 T (Figure 4) inrespect to the blanket cylinder l8 includes an arm l H and an adjustablerod Ill- 3, which connects the link N33 to a shaft I72 having anoperating handle lit (Figure 1) secured upon its outer end. Swingingmovement of the link 503 will then rock the ring I05 to move theimpression cylinder l! relative to the blanket cylinder l8 through themedium of the eccentric bearing sleeve tilt of the impression cylinderI71. A clamp H5 is provided to act upon the handle H3 to retain it inadjusted position.

A sheet receiving, registerin and detecting unit I l with the partsthereof operably associated with the control mechanism of this inventionis shown in Figures 1 and 2, and includes a long lever lll (Figure 1)pivoted at 235 to a frame member 232 (Figure 2) of the unit it. Theouter end 233 of the lever H7 is pressed downward by a spring 23 3acting between the end of a short lever arm 235 formed as part of thelever ill and a stud 23% extending out from the frame member 232. Thelever ll'i is thus held in the path of a roller H8 carried by an arm 579secured to a shaft NH. The shaft ldl is carried by a rotatable cylinder23? forming part of the sheet receiving, registering and detecting unitH, but it is obvious that the sheet detectin elements could beassociated with the impression cylinder 81 of the first printing unit il instead of as herein shown. The shaft I8! is adapted to be rocked by astationary earn 238 through a roller 239, also carried on the arm H9,and which is urged against the periphery of the cam 238 by a spring 24!acting between an arm M2 secured on the shaft l8! and a post 243 securedto the cylinder 231'.

Sheets to be printed are fed to the cylinder 23? by means of endlessbelts or tapes 2244 running over suitable rollers 245. From the tapes246, the sheets are directed onto a guide plate 246 which directs thesheets upwardly in under a plurality of endless tapes 241, and betweenthem and the cylinder 237. Due to the tapes 2 and 241 being driven at aspeed slightly faster than that of the cylinder 23! the forward edge ofthe sheets being 2% extending outwardly from the periphery of thecylinder 23'! and spaced apart lengthwise therealong.

'In this manner the sheets are located on the cylinder 23'! in apredetermined position on its periphery as they are fed thereto by thetapes 241- to be forwarded by the sheet gripper carriers l2, that aresecured on chains l3v which extend about the cylinder 237 at each endthereof. The gripper carriers l2 have a series of cooperating fingers249 and 255 secured to and actuated by telescoped tubes 252 and 253 re=spectively in a known manner, and which extend lengthwise of thecylinder 23?? from one chain 83 to the other.

' An absent sheet or one misplaced in respect to the stops 248 isdetected by a plurality oi fingers 25 i, spaced, apart lengthwise of acylinder 231 and pivoted at 255 to and between adjacent stops 248.Leafsprings 2513 act against the fingers 254 to tend to press themtoward the ap= proaching sheets as they are fed onto the cylinw der, andthe fingers 254 are pressed back into alignment with the stops 2% by theforward edge of a sheet as it engages the stops 268. A bar 257 l issecured at the lower end of each finger 25 i and these bars 25? arenormally ,disposed in the path of a stop plate 258 secured on an arm259, that is secured to the shaft 885.

When the sheet detecting fingers 256 are all engaged by a sheet urgedagainst the stops 2 3d,

. the bars 25'! are moved out of the path of the stop-plate 258 and theshaft 68!! is permitted to be rocked under control of, the cam 23%.Should, however, a sheet be absent or sufiiciently misplaced on thecylinder 23? so that anyone of the fingers 254i is not depressedsuficiently to swing the bar 25? carried thereby out of the path of thestop plate 258, the shaft till will be prevented from rocking, and theroller 23% will not follow the periphery of the cam 238 and drop whenthe high portion of the cam has passed, but will be held up. Failure ofthe shaft wt to rock will maintain the roller H8 in an up position whereit is in the path of the outer end of the lever ill and, as the cylinder23! rotates, the roller 5718 will thus rock: this lever iii about itspivot set to set the trip control mechanism of this in= vention to trip0 position, as will be hereinafter described.

Counter-clockwise movement or the lever 87?,

pushes a rod I82 connecting the lever flll to a lever its (Figure 2),and rocks the lever @833, which is pivoted at ltd to an adjacent framemember, and moves a camming arm use out of the path of each of a set ofrollers 586. These rollers 588 are carried on arms of levers 88? each ofwhich swings on a pivot 888 secured to a gear I89. A spring [9i reactsbetween another arm [92 of each of the levers i8? and a post 693 on thegear I88 to constantly urge the roller $86 toward the camming arm I85.The gear 689 is in mesh with a pinion I94 (indicated immediately aboveit by dotted lines), which rotates with the cylinder 23?, and is timedso that the interval between the engagement of successive rollers ltdwith the camming arm E is proportional to the length of sheet themachine is adapted to print. As herein shown, the gear 589 carries fourlevers I87 and four sets of the trip control parts associated with eachlever, and thus provides for the control of a four unit printingmachine, such as is shown in Patent No. 2,231,914, although only two ofthe printing units l4 and 15 are herein shown. For machines "sea 'oftrip control parts carried by the gear I88 would be changed tocorrespond.

A plurality of levers I95, here being one for each of the catch leversI81, are each pivoted at I99 to the gear I89. An arm of each lever I 95carries a roller I91 while the other arm I98 thereof has a post I99thereon adapted to be engaged by a catch notch 29I formed at the end ofthe arm I92 of the lever I91, when the lever I95 is swung in onedirection to dispose the roller I91 thereon in an outstanding positionwhere it will engage .a cam arm 292 pivoted at 293 to an adjacent framemember. A spring 294 acts between a post 295 on the gear I89 and the'arm I98 of the lever I95 to urge the lever I95 in a direction to wingthe roller I91 toward the center of the gear.

A stationary cam 296 is held by a bracket 299 secured to the'machineframe in position to be engaged by each of the rollers I91 as the gearI89 rotates, to swing the roller carrying arm of the lever I95outwardly. The cam 296 and the camming arm I85 are disposed in suchrelation that when the lever I95 is swung by the cam 298, the catchnotch 29I will engage the post I99 and hold the lever I95 in suchposition, if the camming arm I85 has been moved away from a the rollerI86. Thus, when a sheet is displaced,

absent, or out of register, on the cylinder 2 31, and the camming armI85 is moved in consequence, a roller I91 will be disposed inoutstanding position and will successively engage each of the cam arms292 successively and swing them outwardly on their pivots 293.

In'the preferred construction, each of the cam arms 292 is operablyconnected to a metallic bellows 291 by a rod 298,'the bellows 291 beingcontained 'in a casing 299 secured to an adjacent frame member. A spring2I9 reacts between the casing 299 and the cam arm 292 to return, it toits normal position, as soon as the roller I91 has been carried past byrotation of the gear I89. A tube 2 (Figures 1, 2 and 4) extends fromeach bellows 291 to a corresponding bellows 2I2 at each of the printingunits I4, I5, etc., in consecutive order so that, as the bellows 291 aresuccessively compressed by the outstanding roller I91 moving the cam arm292 to compress the bellows 291, the bellows 2 I2 at the units will beexpanded in turn, starting with the first unit I4 next to theregistering unit II. The bellows 291, tubes 2H and bellows 2I2 arepreferably filled with a substantially non-compressible fluid andsealed, so that an oil-tight fluid power transmitter will be providedand no lost motion will result.

The bellows 2I2 at each unit (Figure 4) is held in a, casing 2I3,secured to the frame member 55 and actuates a push rod 2I4 slidablysupported in a stationary post 2I5. A spring H6 is provided to actbetween the post 2I5 and the bellows 2I2 tending to maintain the bellowsin contracted condition. The rod 2I4 is extended through a post 2"mounted on an arm 2I8 secured to a shaft 2I9 which passes outwardlythrough the frame member 55 (Figure 7) and has the catch I26 securedupon its outer end.

centralizing springs 222 and 223 (Figure 4) are provided reactingbetween the post 2I1 and "the rod 2I4. With this structure, expansion ofthebellows '2I2 will swingthe catch I26 counterclockwise and release thearm I25 to allow the roller I29 to follow down the periphery of the camI 21 to the low land portion I32, whereby the trip bar 13 will be raisedand the tripping operation will be started. A catch 224, pivoted at 225to the frame 55 is acted upon by a coiled spring 228 (Figure 'l), tourge it toward and into engagement with a boss 221 (Figure 4) providedon the catch I28 to hold the catch down after it has been so moved bythe bellows 2I2. A tongue 228 provided on the catch 224 isdisposed inthe path of the arm I 25 to be engaged thereby, when it swings outwardlydue to the roller I29 riding upon the low land portion I32 of the camI21, to release the catch I26, whereby it will swing into position toengage the catch arm I25 when the arm is again swung inwardly by theroller I29 riding upon the high land portion I28 of the cam I21.

It will be understood that means other than the fluid actuated formshown in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive may be employed to cause the controlmechanism to successively actuate the catches I26 at each of theprinting units. As shown in Figure 8, an electrically operated controlmeans is shown in which the cam arms 292, the bellows 291, the tubes 2and the bellows 2I2 of Figures 1 to '1 are replaced by normally openswitches 21 I conductors 212, and solenoids 213 respectively. In thisform, a solenoid 213 is provided at each unit and is arranged to actuatethe rod 2M in the same manner as the bellows 2I2, when a switch 21I isclosed :by the engagement of its operating lever 214 by a roller I91.One terminal of each of the switches 21I is connected by a conductor 215to a line wire LI and the other terminal to a, solenoid 213 from whichconnection is made to a line wire L2 by a conductor 216.

Briefly, the operation of the improved control mechanism is as follows,assuming that theabsence of a sheet, or the presence of one that is cutof register, has been detected by the fingers 254 (Figure 2) on thecylinder 231, and that in consequence, the lever I11 has been swung bythe roller I18 to move the camming arm I85 outwardly, and thus out ofpossible engagement with the rollers I86. This action disposes the catchnotch 29I on the lever I91 in position to engage the post I99 when thelever I95 is swung by the cam 296, and thus maintain the roller I91 inthe 5 outstanding position. As the gear I89 rotates the outstandingroller I91 first engages the cam arm 292 that is first in its path, thisbeing the arm which actuates the bellows 291 connected by the tube 2I Ito the first unit I4 (Figure 1). Such engagement of the cam arm 292compresses the bellows 291 creating a. pressure of fluid in the systemwhereby the bellows 2I2 is expanded lengthwise to push the rod 2I4 andthrough the spring 222 to rock the arm 2 I8 (Figure 4). Rocking of thearm 2 I8 in turn rocks the shaft 2 I 9 and through it the catch I26 torelease the catch arm I25. Release of the catch arm I25 from the catchI26 allows the spring I22 to act on the lever II5 to cause the rollerI29 to engage and ride on the timing cam I21., The cam I21 is rotatedwith the blanket cylinder I8 in timed relation to the feed of the sheetcarrying chains'I3 and with 5 the gear I89, as well as with theregistering cylinder 231. Therefore, as a sheet gripping means I2,carried by the chains I3, approaches a desired point in respect to thebite between the impression and blanket cylinders I1 and I8 withoutcarrying a sheet, the low land portion I32 (Figure 4) of the cam I21 isopposite the roller I29, allowing the lever II5 to swing, whereby the Iarm II1 through the link II8 will raise the trip bar 13. In timedrelation with this operation, the cam 64 acts on the roller 69 to rockthe lever acres i1 89 and reciprocate the trip bar It, whereupon theshoulder 19 engage the pin 92 to rock the plate 98 into trip oil!position.

Rocking of the plate 88 into trip "01? position,

first trips the impression cylinder I'I "oil" and away from the blanketcylinder I8 through the ,link 9 ring I05, and the eccentricbearingsleeve E99, and at the same time by its arm I34 (Figure 9) and throughthe link I 35 to the lever-arm I38 swings the lever-arm I38 upwardly toimpose a spring tension, by means of the spring rod I39, upon the tripbar I to raise it. Thus, when the cam 84 arrives at the roller 61, thelever 99 is rocked to reciprocate the trip bar I5. where-=' upon theshoulder 9I will engage the pin 98 to rock the plate 95 into trip "offposition. Rock- 7 ing of the plate 95 into trip 0 position will 98,which acts as hereinbefore described, on the plate 4'! for this purpose.

It will be understood that in normal operation, the sheets are properlypresented'to the cylinder 29?, and the sheet detector mechanism permitsnormal motion of the arm 259. Hence, the levers i171 and 885 are notmoved from their normal position shown in Figure 2, and when the rollers19'? engage the cam 208-, they return to their normal position asv thecatch notch 21" is prevented from engaging with the post I99. becausethe roller 198 is prevented from swinging outward by the lever I85.Under these normal conditions, the roller I91, not being latched in itsoutstanding position, does not engage the cam arms 292,.and no trippingimpulses are commuin normal position, and the arm I85 would not belatched to hold the roller I" in extended position so as to engage thecamarms 292.-

It will be understood that the invention herein disclosed may beembodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit oressential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that thepresent embodiment beconsidered in all respects as illustrative and notrestrictive, reference being had to the claim rather than to theforegoing description to indicate the scope of the invention;

What we claim is: In a sheet-fed rotary offset printing machine having.a sheet registering device including a sheet detector, a plurality ofrotary printing units, a flexible conveyor having spaced sheet carryingelements for takingsheets from the ;-registering device and conveyingthem through nicated through the hydraulic system to the severalprinting units, but whenever a sheet is not properly presented to thecylinder 23'! (Figure 2), the mechanism will function to automaticallytrip off the printing cylinders and ink rollers, because one of therollers I91 will be locked in an outstanding position, and rotation ofthe gear 199 carrying the outstanding roller I91 successively past eachof the cam arms 202, will cause the printing mechanism of each unit tobe successively tripped oif" immediately after it completes the printingof a sheet that is followed by a gripper bar I 2 to which a sheet wasnot promrly presented.

If subsequent sheets are misplaced on or missing from the cylinder 231,the tripping mechanism will continue to function to throw "oi" theimpression successively at each unit, but whenever a sheet is properlydisposed on the registering cylinder 231 against the stops 248 andfingers 256 and registered thereby, that sheet will be carried throughthe several printing units without tripping off the impression.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that when any one of thelevers I95 has been latched in its tripping position, that the gear I89will make at leasta complete revolution, tripping all printing units insequence, but if a sheet is properly registered on the cylinder 231 whenthe revolution of the gear I89 is completed, the lever 195, justreferred to, will thenbe allowed to assume its normal position andregular operation of the machine will continue, this resetting beingefiected due to the cammin'g arm hi5 then being the printing units, andtripping means on each unit for tripping the mechanisms thereof oii andon in a predetermined cycle timed with relation to the rotation of theunit, and in combination, a unit trip control on each unit settable inadvance of a cycle of operation of the tripping means for determiningwhether the tripping means. trips on or of! during the said cycle ofoperation, and a sequential trip control comprising a rotary memberdriven with the machine,

a series of power-transmitting devices, one for each printing unit andspaced around the rotary member, means connecting the saidpower-transmitting devices in order to the respective unit trip controlsfor setting the same successively upon momentary actuations of thepower-transmitting devices, actuating elements, equal in number to theprinting units but fewer than the sheet-carrying elements, the saidactuating elements being spaced around and carried by the rotary memberand each said actuating element being settable to an actuating positionor a nonactuating position with relation to said powertransmittingdevices, during the travel of the said actuating element from apower-transmitting device for a unit to that for the next unit, andmeans responsive to the sheet detector for so setting an actuatingelement during the passage of a sheet carrying element from theregistering device to the first printing unit for setting the unit tripcontrol of the first unit for controlling the tripping thereof uponarrival of a sheet carrying element and thereafter sequentially settingthe unit trip controls of the succeeding units for.

controlling the tripping thereof upon arrival of the said sheet carryingmeans.

' ALBERT J. HORTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

